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May 23, 2012

Honey and Spice and Everything Nice

The weather is finally warm and feeling like summer is just around the corner, but it sure feels like it took its sweet time. (Get it? Sweet?) Ever since a really warm spell we had in March, I have been done with the cold. So when single digit temperatures appeared again, I decided to make this fall inspired recipe to beat the cold. Beer and honey spice cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting and honey spice sponge toffee.

The cakes are moist and fluffy, filled with the rich scent of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg and the warmth from ale and honey. The creamy, smooth brown sugar cream cheese frosting adds that little extra.

Oooops, where did this little guy get to?

And because I was feeling really adventurous and somewhat artsy, I decided to top the cupcakes with shards of sponge toffee. To match the theme, I made it honey spice sponge toffee. Don't worry about making too much of the toffee, it won't last long (just don't tell your dentist).

Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake tins with paper liners (about 24 of them)
.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream
together butter, sugars, spices and lemon zest. Mixture may look
crumbly, but mix for about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time,
beating for 1 minute after each addition.

Beat in the lemon juice and honey.

Add the flour mixture and beer alternating. First add a third of the
flour mixture, mix. Add half of the beer, mix. Add the second third of
flour, the rest of the beer. Mix. Then finally add the last third of the
flour. Beat the batter on high speed for 30 seconds. The batter will be
loose and smooth.

Pour into the prepared liners and bake in the upper third of the oven
for about 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the
cupcake comes out clean.

Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer
for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and add the butter, beating for 1-2
minutes, or until incorporated. (Be sure that the two are at room
temperature. Cold cream cheese or butter can make your frosting lumpy.)
Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, and beat until
incorporated. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn
the mixer on a low speed so the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl.
Slowly add more sugar alternately with the milk until you reach your
desired consistency.